Mike Kelsey
12-09-2011, 2:24 AM
Still a newbie by far, I began to bring to fruition a long time desire (like a lot of Creekers) - getting into the craft of woodworking. A lot of forum reading, asking questions. I started to "power" up the gravel floor unheated barn with wonderful power tools, jet cabinet saw, delta 18-900l drill press, Grizzly G0514X2 19" Extreme Band saw (still in crate - need to finish floor in barn first), HF dust collector. I enjoy the cutting, drilling, etc but hate the dust mask, eye protection & mainly the noise (too much like work). All along I kept glancing at this cheap hand plane I've hand for years (figured it was cheap because it didn't work very well) & for some reason I just couldn't bring myself to buy a jointer. Here as elsewhere would pop up the comment that if you get a 6" you'll want and 8", then a 12" & on.
From you guys I learned the importance of sharp tools, found a great book on sharpening, found I was fascinated by it, learned to tune up that "cheap" hand plane & as soon as I got wispy shavings from it, I found the whole process mesmerizing - hours went by just "feeling" what it was about, what it could do. I decided to invest my "Jointer budget money" in hand planes instead: LN & Woodcraft's V3 Woodriver. So the imposed rule became use power tools but at least the reference edge should be hand planed.
Then I stumbled across Chris Schwarz’s Anarchist Tool Chest. I've enjoyed his self-depreciating but wise writing style from Popular Woodworking, but the book was an aw hah! for me... The central theme of this slightly younger generation is about the "expediency in slowing down". I don't know if it was conscious or not, but what is craftsmanship if not taking the time of self discovery on how to do it "right". Time equals quality. Rebelling against "efficiency” is considered romantic & unpractical in this day & age - but how many Creekers enjoy the time- focused expectations of our consumer culture? I realized I enjoyed "working with the wood not through it" (& as many of you have said before, one can listen to the radio as a bonus, or the pleasurable sound of the tool itself for that matter).
The barn is cold in winter - outside temp practically equals inside temp, lots of layers of clothing, fingers turning almost numb, wood gets moldy, but I measured, I cut, even stupidly glued, just to practice. Grey hair but I want to learn this stuff - maybe it's in my blood? I'll find out, I guess. Well this year going into the "cold" barn became a more acute conscious awareness – a sense of reluctance mixed with the desire.
I didn't get the floor done this summer, only a few sections of wall insulated. (I'm putting a wood floor over PT wood with vapor barrier). I started on the "carriage" doors for the barn, where it is most open to the elements, but brought the frame work into the unfinished kitchen before things got too damp in the barn.
I finished putting in the wall heaters in the unfinished kitchen & bathroom - we heat exclusively with wood heat till now. I'm supposed to start on the kitchen cabinets this next year & that's when I realized why not setup a non-powered workshop in the new kitchen area and explore hand tools in the winter? My wife was all for it. I needed a quick bolt together workbench (so I could take it apart & moved to the barn when I’m ready to fill the new kitchen space with cabinet carcasses) – bought the HF 60” bench, telling myself I just need something to practice cutting dovetails, planning boards for some proto type cabinet draws, etc.
Unexpectedly I’ve got some “extra” $$ so I made a Lee Valley order list which I plan to order from soon – maybe I should post it here for feedback? I’ve already ordered a LN 16” rip panel saw & panel marking gauge. So this winter I hope to cut, cut, cut, plane, plane, plane & listen to the radio and or rain without freezing. I can continue working on the barn, evolving it in to a shop space & not be concerned about keeping it functional for wood working.
So…. tonight upon arriving home in the cold clear dark, HF “workbench” in the back of the PU, I decided to check my covered power tools in the barn to make sure rust wasn’t developing. (BTW clear vinyl showers curtains work great as pliable covers – tip from my wife); I looked over at the wall where some old hand saws had been hanging, never getting any attention – having a table saw & all... With my new interest in hand tools I plucked them from the wall, noticed a lot of them had this “wheat stock” design & medallion (Philadelphia) on the handles. One has a dragon on it. All still with the garage price sticks on them ($1.50 to $5.00) that my wife’s deceased husband bought but never used. I pulled out a rip saw, & cut a piece of fir with it – smooth like cutting butter. Maybe, just maybe, I have some vintage Disston saws on my hands, so Lucky Ignorant me – maybe. If I get around to it, I’ll post some pictures here….. The pull toward hand tools is compellingly strong. I hope to know just how strong it is this winter….
From you guys I learned the importance of sharp tools, found a great book on sharpening, found I was fascinated by it, learned to tune up that "cheap" hand plane & as soon as I got wispy shavings from it, I found the whole process mesmerizing - hours went by just "feeling" what it was about, what it could do. I decided to invest my "Jointer budget money" in hand planes instead: LN & Woodcraft's V3 Woodriver. So the imposed rule became use power tools but at least the reference edge should be hand planed.
Then I stumbled across Chris Schwarz’s Anarchist Tool Chest. I've enjoyed his self-depreciating but wise writing style from Popular Woodworking, but the book was an aw hah! for me... The central theme of this slightly younger generation is about the "expediency in slowing down". I don't know if it was conscious or not, but what is craftsmanship if not taking the time of self discovery on how to do it "right". Time equals quality. Rebelling against "efficiency” is considered romantic & unpractical in this day & age - but how many Creekers enjoy the time- focused expectations of our consumer culture? I realized I enjoyed "working with the wood not through it" (& as many of you have said before, one can listen to the radio as a bonus, or the pleasurable sound of the tool itself for that matter).
The barn is cold in winter - outside temp practically equals inside temp, lots of layers of clothing, fingers turning almost numb, wood gets moldy, but I measured, I cut, even stupidly glued, just to practice. Grey hair but I want to learn this stuff - maybe it's in my blood? I'll find out, I guess. Well this year going into the "cold" barn became a more acute conscious awareness – a sense of reluctance mixed with the desire.
I didn't get the floor done this summer, only a few sections of wall insulated. (I'm putting a wood floor over PT wood with vapor barrier). I started on the "carriage" doors for the barn, where it is most open to the elements, but brought the frame work into the unfinished kitchen before things got too damp in the barn.
I finished putting in the wall heaters in the unfinished kitchen & bathroom - we heat exclusively with wood heat till now. I'm supposed to start on the kitchen cabinets this next year & that's when I realized why not setup a non-powered workshop in the new kitchen area and explore hand tools in the winter? My wife was all for it. I needed a quick bolt together workbench (so I could take it apart & moved to the barn when I’m ready to fill the new kitchen space with cabinet carcasses) – bought the HF 60” bench, telling myself I just need something to practice cutting dovetails, planning boards for some proto type cabinet draws, etc.
Unexpectedly I’ve got some “extra” $$ so I made a Lee Valley order list which I plan to order from soon – maybe I should post it here for feedback? I’ve already ordered a LN 16” rip panel saw & panel marking gauge. So this winter I hope to cut, cut, cut, plane, plane, plane & listen to the radio and or rain without freezing. I can continue working on the barn, evolving it in to a shop space & not be concerned about keeping it functional for wood working.
So…. tonight upon arriving home in the cold clear dark, HF “workbench” in the back of the PU, I decided to check my covered power tools in the barn to make sure rust wasn’t developing. (BTW clear vinyl showers curtains work great as pliable covers – tip from my wife); I looked over at the wall where some old hand saws had been hanging, never getting any attention – having a table saw & all... With my new interest in hand tools I plucked them from the wall, noticed a lot of them had this “wheat stock” design & medallion (Philadelphia) on the handles. One has a dragon on it. All still with the garage price sticks on them ($1.50 to $5.00) that my wife’s deceased husband bought but never used. I pulled out a rip saw, & cut a piece of fir with it – smooth like cutting butter. Maybe, just maybe, I have some vintage Disston saws on my hands, so Lucky Ignorant me – maybe. If I get around to it, I’ll post some pictures here….. The pull toward hand tools is compellingly strong. I hope to know just how strong it is this winter….